Material heating dispenser



Dec. 31, 1963 A. B. CARTER 3,116,403

MATERIAL HEATING DISPENSER Filed May 15, 1962 2 sheets-sheet'l INVENTOR. All A CARTER Dec. 31, 1963 A. B. CARTER 3,116,403

MATERIAL HEATING DISPENSER Filed May 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Ana 8. 64/2752 4 TTOPIVEYS 3,116,403 MATE-REAL HEA'KHNG DEPENSER Alva ill. Carter, 2424 Uhio, Lawrence, Kans. Filed; May 15, 1952, Ser. No. 194,911 10 Claims. (Cl. 21939) This invention relates to a material heating dispenser, and more particularly to apparatus for dispensing heated shaving lather or the like from pressurized containers.

It is common knowledge that closer and more comfortable shaves can be obtained by providing heat to the whiskers for aiding penetration by the shaving cream or lather. Heretofore, this was usually accomplished by washing the face with hot water or applying hot towels immediately prior to placing lather on the face. Under many conditions, these methods were impractical and, even when used, the subsequent application of cold lather tended to offset the benefit therefrom.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus for dispensing heated shaving lather for use on the face from a pressurized can or container of shaving soap; to provide such a device wherein a pressurized container of shaving soap may be received therein quickly and easily; to provide such a device wherein the shaving lather is dispensed from the pressurized can through an elongated heated tube for discharging the shaving lather in a heated condition for application to the face; to provide such a device wherein the heated lather is dispensed directly into a shaving brush whereby the lather may be applied to the face without contact with the hands; to provide such a device wherein pressure on a single push button produces a lather discharge from the pressurized container and simultaneously actuates a heating coil for heating said lather; and to provide such a device which is simple in construction, inexpensive in cost and convenient and reliable in use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, with parts broken away, of the apparatus embodying this invention and containing a pressurized can of shaving soap.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on a line 2-2, HS. I, particularly showing the relationship of the heating tube through which the shaving lather is dispensed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the coiled or spiralled shape of the heating tube.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 3, showing the heating tube with electrical insulation and heating wiretherearound,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the construction of the switch and dispenser actuating control.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the preparation of a pressurized container of shaving soap for insertion into the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view on a reduced scale illustrating the insertion of a pressurized container of shaving soap into the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a heated shaving lather dispensing apparatus embodying this invention. The apparatus 1 includes a cylindrical receptacle 2 having an opening 3 at one end thereof and threads 4 adjacent and surrounding the opening. The receptacle 2 is adapted to receive a pressurized container 5 of shaving soap through the opening 3 and support the container therein as described hereinafter. The container 5 is of the type adapted to discharge shaving lather through an upwardly extending tubular member 6 upon axially depressing said tubular member. Such containers, when purchased, usually include a dispensing cover 7 which is fabricated of a resilient, synthetic resin material, such as polyethylene, and is secured to the container 5 by gripping an annular ridge or rim 8 surrounding the tubular memher 6. By applying pressure to the dispensing cover 7 adjacent the rim 8, said cover '7 may be easily removed from the container 5, exposing the tubular member 6 for use in connection with this invention (FIG. 6).

The receptacle 2 is adapted to support the container 5 with tubular member 6 extending substantially coaxially of the receptacle 2 and pointed in the same direction as the opening 3. A cap 9, in the illustrated example, has a dome 9 secured thereto and a pair of external electrical conductors or connectors it) and 11 for a purpose described hereinafter. The cap 9 also carries threads 12 adapted to engage with the receptacle threads 4 for closing the receptacle opening 3 with said cap. It is to be understood that the engagement of the respective threads 4- and 12 and the relative rotation of the receptacle 2 and cap 9 causes the cap to move a short distance toward the receptacle. The cap 9 includes a socket 13 located substantially coaxially with respect to the receptacle 2 when the cap is assembled therewith. The socket 13 has a conical downwardly facing depression 14 therein which is adapted to receive and engage the upper end 15 of the tubular member 6 upon the assembly of the receptacle 2 and cap 9, FIG. 1. An elogated flexible support member 16 preferably of a resilient material such as polyethylene is secured at one end 17 thereof to the socket 13 and extends laterally thereof. The support member 16 is secured at the other end 18 thereof to struc ture 1% forming a part of the cap 9. It is to be understood that the flexible support member 16 resiliently supports the socket 13 for limited reciprocal movement axially of the receptacle 2 after assembly of the receptacle with the cap 9. The support member 16 is, in the illustrated example, formed integrally with a horizontally extending disk 29 which is closely spaced at the peripheral edge thereof with a vertically extending passageway 21 in the cap 9 to permit the above-described reciprocal movement of the socket 113 axially of the receptacle while preventing substantial lateral motion of the socket.

The flexible support member 16 has a passageway 22 extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating at one end 23 thereof in the socket 13. An elongated tube 24 communicates at one end 25 thereof with the other end 26 of the passageway 22. The tube 24 is preferably metallic for rapid heat transfer thereinto and has an electrically insulating sheath 27 on the exterior thereof for a purpose later described. The tube 24 is coiled within the cap 9 in a manner whereby it is radially spaced from the socket 13 as best illustrated in FIG. 2. A brush 28 is preferably soft in the usual manner of a shaving brush and has a plurality of individual bristles 29 which are secured to and extend radially from the cap 9 at 30 The other end 31 of the tube 24 opens into the bristles 29.

An elongated electrical resistant heating wire 32, for example No. 40 Nichrome wire, is spiralled about the insulating sheath 27 on the tube 24 and is connected at one end thereof to the electrical connector 10. A suitable heat and electrical insulating compound 34 substantially encloses or pots the tube 24 and heating wire 32 and forms an annulus 35 about the socket 13.

A normally open switch and dispenser actuating assembly 36 has an insulating material base 37 forming a part of a housing 37' and a push button 33 extending upwardly from the cap dome 9 coaxially of the receptacle 2. A shaft 39, in the illustrated example of an electrically insulating material, is longitudinally reciprocally mounted with respect to the cap 9 by means of a threaded sleeve 40 fixed to the housing 37 and engaged with a suitable nut 41 for clamping the cap dome 9 therebetween. The shaft 39 supports the push button 38 on the upper end thereof.

A helically spring 42 surrounds the shaft 39 and resiliently urges the push button 33 away from the cap 9. A pair of spaced contacts 43 and 44 are respectively mounted on the base 37 and are respectively connected to the other end 45 of the heating wire 32 and a wire 4-5 which connects to the electrical connector Til. A helical spring 47 surrounds the shaft 39 and is fixed thereto by means of a fixed electrically insulating material sleeve 43 which is pinned at 49 to the shaft 39. An electrically conductive ring 56) surrounds the shaft 39 and is normally suspended by the spring 47 out of contact with the contacts 43 and 44, however, when the push button 33 is urged toward the cap 9 the spring 47 urges the ring into contact with the contacts 43 and 44 to complete an electrical circuit therebetween.

The shaft 39 of the switch and actuating assembly 36 slidably extends through the base 37 and terminates at the lower end thereof in an enlarged portion or disk 51 which is normally located adjacent but slightly spaced above the socket T3, FIG. 1. It is to be understood that the disk 51 moves downwardly with the shaft 39 and contacts the upper side of the socket T3 for producing downward pressure upon the tubular member 6.

By way of explanation, a suitable electric plug 52 receives and makes electrical contact with the connectors and ill. The plug 52 has a suitable cord 53 for transmitting electrical power to the plug 52 in the usual manner. The entire apparatus ll may be held in the hand and a finger placed on the push button 38 with the brush 28 in contact with the face. Selective downward pressure on the push button 38 causes the ring 5% to close a circuit between the contacts 43 and 44 which permits a flow of current through the heating wire 32 for heating the tube 24. The downward pressure on the push button 38 also causes the disk 51 to contact the upper side of the socket l3 urging same downwardly which, in turn, urges the tubular member 6 downwardly, causing a discharge of lather from the container 5 into the socket 133. The lather, traveling under the pressure in the container 5, is urged through the passageway 22 and into the tube 24. Heat is transferred from the tube 24 into the lather and sufiicient time elapses during the passage of the lather through the elongated spiral tube 24 so that by the time the lather reaches the end 311 of the tube 24 it has reached a desirable temperature for face application. The lather then discharges into the brush 28 from which it may be deposited directly upon the face as desired. In replacing the pressurized container 5 after exhaustion, it is only necessary to disengage the threads 4 and 12, separate the cap 9 from the receptacle 2, pry the dispensing cover 7 from the new container 5 and insert the container within the receptacle prior to reassembly of the receptacle with the cap 9, as noted above.

The apparatus 1 produces warm shaving lather for direct application to the face and may be used wherever a source of electrical power is available, eliminating the need for hot water or hot towels for obtaining a superior shave. The apparatus 1 may be easily designed for operation with battery power if desired for field use where normal house power is not available.

It is to be understood that while one form of this invention has been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing heated material from a pressurized container therefor of the type adapted to discharge said material through a tubular member when pressure is applied to actuating means on said container, said apparatus comprising:

(a) receiving means adapted to receive and support said container with said tubular member extending therefrom,

(b) a cap for said receiving means, said cap including a socket for receiving and engaging said tubular member and a pair of electrical conductors,

(0) control means on said cap for selectively applying pressure to said actuating means on said container,

(d) an elongated tube carried by said cap and communicating at one end thereof with said socket, the other end of said tube opening to the outside of said apparatus,

(6) an elongated electrical resistance heating wire in heat transfer relationship with said tube and connected at one end thereof to one of said electrical conductors,

(f) a normally open switch on said cap and having an actuating member and a pair of electrical contacts, said contacts being respectively connected to the other end of said heating wire and the other of said electrical conductors, means associated with said switch actuating member for selectively completing an electrical circuit between said pair of contacts,

(g) whereby the application of a source of electricity to said conductors and operation of said switch actuating member and actuation of said control means produces the discharge of heated material from said apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said control means for selectively applying pressure t said actuating means and said switch actuating member are mounted on a common support for simultaneous operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said receiving means for receiving and supporting said material container is a cylindrical receptacle open at one end thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said cap includes a brush secured thereto and extending therefrom and said other end of said tube opens into brush for dispensing said material.

5. Apparatus for dispensing heated material from a pressurized container therefor of the type adapted to discharge said material through a tubular member when pressure is applied to actuating means on said container, said apparatus comprising:

(a) receiving means adapted to receive and support said container with said tubular member extending therefrom,

(b) a cap for said receiving means, said cap including a socket for receiving and engaging said tubular member and a pair of electrical conductors,

(0) control means on said cap for selectively applying pressure to said actuating means on said container,

(:1) an elongated tube communicating at one end thereof with said socket, the other end of said tube opening to the outside of said apparatus,

(e) an elongated electrical resistance heating wire adjacent said tube and connected at one end thereof to one of said electrical conductors, said tube being coiled within said cap and said heating wire being spiraled about said tube,

(3) a normally open switch on said cap and having an actuating member and a pair of electrical contacts, said contacts being respectively connected to the other end of said heating wire and the other of said electrical conductors,

(g) means associated with said switch actuating member for selectively completing an electrical circuit between said pair of contacts, whereby the application of a source of electricity to said conductors and operation of said switch actuating member and actuation of said control means produces the discharge of heated material from said apparatus.

6. Apparatus for dispensing heated shaving lather from a pressurized container of shaving soap of the type adapted to discharge said lather through an upwardly extending tubular member upon depressing said tubular member, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for supporting said container of shaving soap with said tubular member extending upwardly,

(b) a cap having a pair of electrical conductors and adapted to selectively engage with said container supporting means, said cap including a socket for receiving and engaging said tubular member upon the engagement of said cap and container supporting means,

(c) a flexible support member secured to said socket and to said cap, said flexible support member resiliently supporting said socket for limited vertical reciprocal movement,

(:1) said flexible support member having a passageway rherethrough terminating at one end thereof in said socket,

(e) an elongated tube in said cap communicating at one end thereof with the other end of said passage way and opening at the other end thereof to the outside of said apparatus,

(f) an elongated electrical resistance heating wire spiralled about said tube and connected at one end thereof to one of said electrical conductors,

(g) a normally open switch having an actuating push button extending upwardly from said cap, a shaft longitudinally reciprocally mounted on said cap and supporting said push button, resilient means urging said push button away from said cap,

(it) a pair of electrical contacts mounted in said switch and respectively connected to the other end of said heating wire and the other of said electrical conductors, conductive means associated with said shaft and adapted to contact said pair of contacts upon downward reciprocation of said shaft for completing an electrical connection therebetween,

(i) said shaft terminating adjacent and above said socket,

(j) whereby the application of a source of electricity to said conductors and selective downward pressure on said push button produces the discharge of heated shaving lather from said tube.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

(a) said means for supporting said container of shaving soap is a cylindrical receptacle having an opening at the upper end thereof and threads surrounding said spring,

(11) said receptacle eing adapted to receive said container of shaving soap through said opening and support said container of shaving soap with said tubular member extending upwardly substantially coaxially of said receptacle and (c) said cap has threads adapted to selectively engage with said receptacle threads.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

(a) said elongated tube rats an electrically insulating sheath on the exterior thereof and is coiled within said cap about said socket.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

(a) a brush is secured to said cap and said other end of said tube opens into said brush.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

(a) heat insulating compound encases said tube and heating wire and forms an annulus about said socket.

References tilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,351 Lannert Feb. 10, 1959 2,914,221 Rosenthal Nov. 24, 1959 2,955,191 Galgano et al. Oct. 4, 1960 

1. APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING HEATED MATERIAL FROM A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER THEREFOR OF THE TYPE ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE SAID MATERIAL THROUGH A TUBULAR MEMBER WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO ACTUATING MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) RECEIVING MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT SAID CONTAINER WITH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER EXTENDING THEREFROM, (B) A CAP FOR SAID RECEIVING MEANS, SAID CAP INCLUDING A SOCKET FOR RECEIVING AND ENGAGING SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND A PAIR OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS, (C) CONTROL MEANS ON SAID CAP FOR SELECTIVELY APPLYING PRESSURE TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER, (D) AN ELONGATED TUBE CARRIED BY SAID CAP AND COMMUNICATING AT ONE END THEREOF WITH SAID SOCKET, THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBE OPENING TO THE OUTSIDE OF SAID APPARATUS, (E) AN ELONGATED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE HEATING WIRE IN HEAT TRANSFER RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID TUBE AND CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO ONE OF SAID ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS, 